Folding trestle.



' E. P. WHITEHEAD.

FOLDING TRESTLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1909.

Patnted Dec. 14,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Suva Woe E. F. WHITEHEAD.

FOLDING TRESTLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1909. 943,328. Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITE STATES PAET FFTCE.

EZEKIEL F. WHITEI-IEAD, or NEWARK, OHIO, essrenoa TO MATILDA WHITEHEAD,or

NEWARK, orrro.

FOLDING TRESILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. May 17, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14, 1939. Serial No. 496,376.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EZEKIEL F. lVHITE- HEAD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, in the county of Licking and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Trestles;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

This invention relates to improvements in folding trestles.

The object of the invention is to provide a trestle having itssupporting legs pivotally connected thereto, whereby the same may befolded back into engagement with the underside of the back of thetrestle in an out of the way position to enable the trestle to beclosely packed for shipping or storing.

A further object is to provide a strong and durable fastening orconnection for the legs of the trestle, whereby when the latter are inoperative position, they will form a secure and reliable support for thetrestle.

With this and other objects in View, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, aswill be more fully described and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a vertical longitudinalsectional view of a trestle constructed in accordance with theinvention, and showing the legs in an operative position. Fig. 2, is avertical cross sectional view through one end of the tr stle, and itssupporting legs, on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a detail side Viewof one end of the trestle with the legs removed, and showing one of theleg attaching members. Fig. 4, is a longitudinal sectional view of thetrestle with the legs in folded position. Fig. 5, is a bottom plan viewpartly in section with the legs arranged, as shown in Fig. a. Fig. 6, isa detail perspective view of one of the le attaching plates lookingtoward the inner side of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the top bar of atrestle, to the under side of which adjacent to each end is secured oneof my improved leg attaching members 2. The members 2, each comprise abase or attaching plate 3, having at each end apertured extensions 4,through which and the adjacent portions of the top bar 1, are insertedfastening bolts 5, whereby the members 2 are securely attached to thetop bar of the trestle. On the opposite side edges of the base plates 3,are formed downwardly extending outwardly projecting or inclined legattaching ears 6, in which are formed centrally disposed bolt holes 7,to receive the leg fastening bolts 8, by means of which the legs aresecured to the ears 6, in a manner herein described. On the inner sidesof the ears 6, and the ad jacent underside of the base plate 3, arearranged holding lugs 9.

Secured to the upper end of each leg 11, is an attaching plate 12, saidplates having upper and lower pairs of leg embracing lugs 12, which litover and engage the opposite side edges of the legs, as shown. Theplates 12, may be secured to the legs in any suitable manner, but arehere shown and are preferably bolted thereto by means of a clamping bolt13, which is inserted through the legs and through reinforcing ribs 1 1,formed on the outer sides of the plate, as shown. The upper end of theleg attaching plates are off set to form attaching members 15, which arespaced a suitable distance from the inner sides of the upper ends of thelegs and when in operative position, engage the in ner sides of theattaching ears 6, of the members 2, on the top bar of the trestle, theears 6 being thus disposed between the inner side of the leg of theadjacent side of the members 15. The members 15 are provided withcentrally disposed slots 16, through which the fastening bolts 8, areinserted, after being passed through the apertures 7, in the ears 6, andsaid bolts are provided on their inner ends with washers and clampingnuts 17, whereby the plates 15, may be drawn or clamped into tightengagement with the ears 6. In the inner ends of the members 15 areformed notches 18, which are engaged with the lugs 9, when the legs arein operative position, thereby rigidly holding the legs against pivotalor turning movement on the bolts 8, and assisting the latter in rigidlyfastening the legs.

The outer edges of the ears 6 are prefer ably braced by a web or saddle18, and in the lower edges of the said ears 6 are formed locking notches19, with which are engaged locking lugs 20, formed on the inner sides ofthe leg attaching members 15, adjacent to their connection with theplates 12.

In engaging the legs with the attaching members 2 on the top piece ofthe trestle, the members 15, of the plates 12 on the upper ends of thelegs are engaged with the inner sides of the ears 6, and are boltedthereto by the fastening bolts 8, which are inserted through theapertures 7, in the ears 6, and through the slots 16, in the members 15.After the plates 12 have thus been connected with the ears 6, the legsare secured to the plates 12, by-the bolts 13, and the lugs 12. Afterthe legs have been thus secured to the ears (3, they may be swung aroundin an operative position and then pushed up on the ears 6, until thenotches 18, in the upper ends thereof engage the lugs 9, and the lugs 20engage the notches 19, in the lower edges of the ears 6. When in thisposition, the nuts 17 may be tightened up on the bolts 8, and the legsthus clamped in operative position where it is firmly held againstturning movement by the locking notches and lugs described.

In order to fold the legs to an inoperative position, the nuts 17 areloosened sufliciently to permit the lugs to be pulled outwardly and thenotches 18 and 19 disengaged from their respective lugs, after which thelegs may be swunginwardly along the under sides of the top piece of thetrestle, and may be held in this position by again tightening up thenuts 17 on the bolts 8. When the legs are thus folded, they will be inan out of the way position, and not liable to become broken and whenthus folded the trestles may be closely packed for storing ortransportation.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is:

1. In a trestle of the class described, a pair of leg attaching members,each comprising a base plate having downwardly extending leg attachingears adapted to engage the inner faces of the legs, leg attaching platessecured to the legs of the trestle and provided with offset upper endsadapted to fit against said ears, means to pivotally and slidably securesaid offset ends to said ears whereby the legs may be swung into anextended or folded position, and means to fasten said plates in theiradjusted positions.

2. In a folding trestle, a pair of leg attaching members, each of whichcomprises a base or securing plate having downwardly extending outwardlyinclined leg attaching ears, said ears having formed therein lockingnotches, leg attaching plates, means to secure said plates to the topbar of the trestle, offset slotted members formed on the upper ends ofsaid plates and to form a space between the same and the inner sides ofthe legs to receive said leg attaching ears, said offset members havingformed therein elongated slots, fastening bolts arranged through saidears, and the slots in said fastening members, whereby said members andlegs are slidably and pivotally secured to the ears, and locking lugsformed on the inner sides of said members and adapted to be en gagedwith the notches of said earsto assist in holding said legs in operativeposition.

3. In a trestle of the character described, a top bar, a pair of legattaching members each comprising a base plate adapted to be bolted tosaid top bar, downwardly extending inclined ears formed on the oppositeside edges of said base plates, means to brace said ears, fastening lugsformed on said base plate and the inner sides of said ears, legattaching plates secured to the inner sides of the trestle legs, legengaging lugs formed on said plates, slotted attaching members formed onthe upperends of said plates, said members having notches adapted to beengaged with the fastening lugs on said base plate, and locking lugsformed on the inner sides of said extensions and adapted to be engagedwith the notches in the edges of said ears when the legs are swung to anoperative position, and fastening bolts to pivotally connect saidfastening plates and legs to said ears.

1. In a trestle of the class described, a pair of leg attaching members,each comprising a base plate having downwardly extending leg attachingears adapted to engage the inner faces of the legs, leg attaching platessecured to the legs of the trestle and having offset upper portionsadapted to fit against said ears, means formed on the leg attachingears, and leg attaching plates to hold the latter in operative orextended position, and means passing through the ears and leg at tachingplates to hold the legs in an inwardly folded position.-

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EZEKIEL F. \VHITEHEAD.

lVitnesses D. M. KELLER, L. B. LARASON.

